Drip, Drag and Fill: A Rainy Day Craft to Do With the Kids

In this creative winter activity, children draw a rainy-day scene, slip their artwork into a clear plastic sheet protector, and add drops of blue-colored water on top. Then comes the fun part: guiding the raindrops from the clouds to the puddles, trying to connect them, and seeing whether they can keep the child standing beneath the umbrella dry.

One child might draw a bright yellow umbrella with matching rain boots, while another fills the street with puddles that can only be crossed by jumping. Once the drawing is complete, the real fun begins. Place a drop of blue water on a cloud, gently touch its edge with the tip of a stick, and guide it across the picture. When the drop meets another drop in a puddle, the two merge into one larger drop.

What You'll Need

• One sheet of white A4 paper

• A pencil and markers or colored pencils

• A clear, smooth plastic sheet protector

• A small cup with a little water

• One drop of blue food coloring or a small amount of blue watercolor paint

• A dropper

• A wooden skewer, using only the blunt end under adult supervision. For younger children, use a smooth craft stick with a rounded tip

• A small towel for wiping up water

How to Make It

Step 1: Draw a Rainy-Day Scene

Draw a child holding an umbrella in the center of the page, clouds across the top, and several puddles near the bottom. Leave some open space on either side of the umbrella to create paths for the raindrops to travel. Color the picture and add fun details, such as rain boots, a raincoat, or a dog jumping over a puddle.

Step 2: Protect Your Drawing

Slide the finished picture into the clear plastic sheet protector and lay it flat on a table. If the sheet moves around during the activity, secure its corners with a little tape. The water droplets will go on the outside of the plastic, directly above the drawing.

Step 3: Make Your Raindrops

Mix a small amount of water with a drop of blue food coloring or a little blue watercolor paint. Use the dropper to place one small drop on top of a cloud in the picture. Start with just one drop so it is easier to observe how it moves.

Step 4: Guide the Rain

Hold the stick at a low angle and gently touch the edge of the water droplet. Slowly move the stick toward a puddle, keeping its tip in contact with the water. If the droplet stays behind, return to its edge and try again with a slower movement.

Once the droplet reaches the puddle, lift the stick and place a new drop near the cloud.

Turn Your Rainy-Day Picture Into a Game

Now it's time to turn the artwork into a fun challenge! 

Decide that each raindrop must reach a different puddle, or challenge the children to guide the rain around the umbrella without touching it. You can also release two droplets from different clouds and see whether they meet in the same puddle. Watch what happens when the droplets touch and merge into a larger drop.

Once all the puddles are filled, simply wipe the plastic sheet protector dry and start another round. Children can experiment with new routes, different-sized droplets, and creative rainy-day scenes, making this an engaging activity that can be enjoyed again and again.